Improvement in treating peat



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

VJQHN E. SMITH, OF NEW YORK, NLX.

IMPROVEMENT lN TREATlNG FEAT.-

Specification forming To all whom it may concern.-

Be it linown that I, JOHN H. SMITH, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Treating Peat; and I do hereby'deelare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to fully understand and make use of the same. K

The object of this invention is to separate from peat all sulphur, or salts containing sulphur and other impurities, and to render peat fit for the manufacture of illuminating-gas.

The invention consists in treating peat with superheated steam until all salts and sulphur will be disengaged and freed from the carbonaceous matter, and a substance is obtained which can be used advantageously in the manufacture of gas.

In. carrying out my invention 1 place the crude peat into vats of metal, or any other suitable material, and apply superheated steam part of Letters Patent No. 51,231, dated November as, 1865.

passes through, so as to bring said steam in intimate contact with every particle of peat.

- By the action of the superheated steam all sulphur and salt containing sulphur and other impurities injurious in the manufacture of gas are disengaged from the carbonaceous matter jecting' the mass topressure in a hydranlie or other suitable press all said. impurities are sepa rated from the peat, and. a mass is obtained manufacture of illuminating-gas.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- Treating peat with stan'tially as and for the purpose described. JOHN H. SMITH Witnesses 1 M. M. Lwmes'roN,

W. HAUFF.

through the mass, the mass being constantly agitated by suitable stirrers while the steam forming the main portion thereof, and by suowhich can be used with great advantage'in the superheated steam, sn'o- 

